Woman ends life; husband, in-laws held for dowry harassment

A 26-year-old woman in Ambernath allegedly died by suicide on Tuesday (June 16, 2026). Police have arrested her husband, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law on charges of dowry harassment and abetment to suicide.

The woman, Vishakha Tilkar, was found dead at her residence in the Shivaji Nagar area. The Shivaji Nagar Police took her husband, Dr. Nitin Tilkar, her mother-in-law, Chhaya Tilkar, and her brother-in-law into custody following a complaint from her family.

Vishakha married Dr. Tilkar on April 30. The marriage was arranged. Her family stated that no dowry was exchanged at the time of the wedding. Vishakha was a commerce graduate from Pune. Her father works as a rickshaw driver. Dr. Tilkar is a BHMS practitioner in Ulhasnagar.

The police investigation revealed that members of the groom’s family allegedly began to demand 50 grams of gold from Vishakha’s parents soon after the marriage. The accused family also allegedly subjected Vishakha to surveillance. Her husband allegedly installed CCTV cameras inside the house. He did not permit her to interact with neighbours. The family held suspicions regarding Vishakha’s conduct.

Police said that on Sunday, Vishakha spoke to a woman in the neighbourhood. Her husband and in-laws allegedly beat her for this action. Following the assault, Vishakha contacted her parents in Pune. She informed them of the incident. Her parents made plans to travel to Ambernath to discuss the matter with her in-laws. Vishakha died on Tuesday before they could arrive.

Ramesh Patil, Senior Police Inspector at the Shivaji Nagar Police Station, confirmed the arrests. He said, “The accused family harassed the deceased physically and mentally because they did not receive gifts during the wedding. They demanded 50 grams of gold as dowry, which her father could not provide. We have arrested all three accused.”

The police have registered a case under sections of the Dowry Prohibition Act and charges of abetment to suicide. The accused will be produced before a court on Wednesday.